With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

Less than a quarter of an hour after the Crown Prince entered the palace, Shen Run arrived at the Prince Zhao's residence, with Qiu Tong following behind him, carrying a man whose hands were tied behind his back.

The man was dressed in ordinary, coarse cloth, and his face was unremarkable. As he was pushed into the study, a heavy money pouch and several pre-written papers fell out of his sleeve.

Shen Nannan glanced down at the paper, which was written with the name of Prince Zhao.

The claim of war in the northern border was a ruse. Xiao Yunzhao used the pretext of leading troops to regain military power, and then secretly returned on the day he left the capital, taking advantage of the emperor's serious illness to lead his troops to storm the palace.

One of the cards even had a description of the crown prince being killed and the emperor being seriously injured.

Shen Nannan's fingers slowly tightened around the paper.

The crown prince had just entered the palace, and the emperor was still alive and well.

These people had already written the charge of patricide and fratricide against Xiao Yunzhao!

The person behind this is trying to force Xiao Yunzhao down the same path as in his previous life!

"Where was he caught?" Xiao Yunzhao asked Shen Run.

"South of the city." Shen Run still carried the chill of the night, a tear in his sleeve revealing a faint trace of blood beneath, yet he seemed oblivious. He walked over, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"I originally only had people keeping an eye on the teahouses where the rumors were spread a few days ago, but I didn't expect these people to suddenly all move tonight. They brought silver and were preparing to tell everyone that Prince Zhao had secretly returned to the capital as soon as there was any commotion in the palace."

Shen Run kicked the man kneeling on the ground with his toe. "This one's really stubborn. I asked him for ages, and he wouldn't say a word."

Qiu Tong looked up at him. "Did you ask?"

"Why didn't you ask?"

"You chased after him and attacked, nearly dislocating his jaw. What's your response?"

Shen Run coughed lightly, "He ran too fast, and I didn't know he was so weak."

The man kneeling on the ground: "..."

Qiu Tong ignored him, took out a strangely shaped waist token from her bosom, and placed it on the table.

"He wouldn't say, but he hadn't hidden his belongings well enough. Besides this waist token, there was also a list. Several teahouses, gambling dens, and inns in the city had taken their money. As soon as something happened in the palace, the news of Prince Zhao's rebellion would spread throughout the capital immediately."

Shen Run added from the side, "They even came up with their own excuses for the people. They said that Xiao Yunzhao had long harbored rebellious intentions, and that the Shen family was feigning illness to avoid going to war in order to stay in the capital and support him."

At this point, his gaze fell on Shen Nannan, and his expression grew even more unpleasant. "Some people are even preparing to say that Nannan used her unborn child as an excuse to lure Xiao Yunzhao back."

The killing intent in Xiao Yunzhao's eyes suddenly subsided.

The man kneeling on the ground sensed danger and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. The man who had refused to speak just a moment ago did not even dare to raise his head.

"Who came up with that sentence?" Xiao Yunzhao's eyes flashed with a fierce light.

Shen Nannan reached out and covered the back of his hand. "Not now."

Xiao Yunzhao turned to look at her.

"Killing him now will only make the rest hide even deeper." Shen Nannan put the papers back on the table. "Since brother was able to catch one, he can find the others by following the list. Keep an eye on them and don't let them know that the information has been leaked."

Shen Run nodded. "That's what I think too."

"Let them keep waiting." Shen Nannan's eyes showed no panic. "We'll see which sentence they plan to release first once the palace is truly in chaos."

Shen Run looked at his sister. "You want to follow them to find all the people spreading these rumors?"

"Not all of them are needed."

The capital is so big, it doesn't matter who says a rumor. What matters is that we can't let those people condemn Xiao Yunzhao again, just like in the previous life.

Shen Nannan lowered her eyes and looked at the sentence "father-killing and brother-killing" on the paper.

In his dream, Xiao Yunzhao stood in the center of ten thousand people. No one defended him; everyone cursed him. Court officials threw memorials at him, and commoners spat at him. Even the soldiers who had once followed him gradually distanced themselves from his side because of the overwhelming accusations against him.

He hadn't said anything, yet in the end, he was still driven to the brink by those voices.

In this life, she will never let that dream become a reality again.

"When did Prince Zhao leave the capital today, and how many people saw him?" Shen Nannan suddenly asked.

"From the Shen residence to the North Gate, the entire street was packed with people," Shen Run said. "When we left the city, the palace officials and the two military supervisors were all there. There were also many people waiting to watch the excitement at Shili Pavilion outside the city."

"Then let them say it."

"What did you say?"

Shen Nannan raised her eyes. "There's no need to say anything more. Just tell them who saw Prince Zhao leading his troops out of the city this morning. When did the royal flag pass through the north gate, and when did the army leave Shili Pavilion?"

The facts are clear to everyone: Xiao Yunzhao was on the official road heading north, while the Crown Prince was the one who left the Eastern Palace with his men in the dead of night.

By putting these two things together, the people will naturally know who started the war first.

"But Xiao Yunzhao has already returned." Shen Run looked at the man sitting next to his sister. "When he shows up in the palace, people outside will still say that he has long been prepared to rebel."

"So we won't say he didn't come back," Shen Nannan said calmly, "nor will we say where he is right now."

Shen Run quickly understood, "Just let people know that it was the Crown Prince who led the troops into the palace first."

"Um."

Whether Prince Zhao turned back is a matter for later.

Once the news of the Crown Prince taking control of the palace gates and imprisoning the Emperor gets out, Xiao Yunzhao's reappearance will not be considered treason.

It's a lifesaver!

"These words cannot come from the mouths of the Shen family and the Prince's Mansion," Shen Nannan continued. "Let those who actually went to the North Gate today speak for themselves."

"The vendors selling amulets, the shopkeepers of the tea stalls, and those who stood at the Ten-Mile Pavilion watching the royal flag. They received money from others a few days ago and were keeping an eye on when A-Chao would leave the capital. Now it's a good opportunity for them to be witnesses."

There's no need to fabricate anything, nor is it necessary to force anything.

If anyone asks, let them tell you what they saw with their own eyes.

As for the news that the Crown Prince led troops into the palace late at night, it could no longer be concealed once a corpse was found outside the palace gates.

Shen Run stood by the table with his arms crossed, then suddenly chuckled, "Those who were originally watching Xiao Yunzhao ended up testifying for him."

"They want everyone in the capital to see A-Chao leave," Shen Nannan said. "Then they can't blame us for making sure everyone in the capital remembers this."

Qiu Tong looked at the list on the table. "I'll take people to find those who accepted money from the Crown Prince."

"We mustn't alert them now," Shen Run said immediately. "Send the men down here; you and I will stay here."

Qiu Tong glanced at him indifferently. "Why?"

"It's chaotic outside."

"So you can go, but I can't?"

That's not what I meant.

"Then shut up."

Qiu Tong picked up the list and turned to walk out.

Shen Run stood there, his face turning pale and then flushed.

Seeing that she was about to leave the study, he still chased after her, saying, "I'll go with you."

"You stay."

"You just told me to shut up, and you didn't let me stay."

Qiu Tong did not stop walking.

Shen Run stayed close to her, lowering his voice as he said, "I don't think you can't help. But those people have knives. If you get hurt, General Qiu will definitely try to cut me with his knife."

"Isn't my dad bedridden because of a leg injury?"

"His leg was perfectly fine when he chopped me."

The two voices gradually faded into the distance.

The study, which had just been filled with murderous intent, finally gained a bit of life.